Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier, I spoke with regard to the community freezer in Paulatuk and also I applaud the Department of ITI in regard to sending their 25 freezers down in 2005-06. When we were having a meeting in Lutselk'e on a retreat, I did talk to the Minister briefly about getting more freezers for Paulatuk. At that time, he was going to confirm it. So I would like to ask the Minister. Why weren't these freezers sent to Paulatuk this summer? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Minister Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member has indicated, we have sent, I believe, 50 freezers to Ulukhaktok, 25 to Paulatuk, and obviously we have had some recent problems with the community freezer in Paulatuk. We are prepared to sit down and arrange for more freezers to come to the community, but we do need to talk to the HDC, the hunters and trappers. We need a request from the hunters and trappers. I understand the region is working with them now. We need to understand who the families are that are in need of freezers. We can't determine that on our own so we do rely on the hunters and trappers to come forward and let us know who in the community needs these freezers. As we have indicated in the past, we are more than prepared to work with that hunters' and trappers' group to sort this issue out. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you. I would like to thank the Minister for his response. I will contact the HDC, but my understanding is that they are aware that they were supposed to at least get another 25 freezers over the summer. In that regard, I would like to ask the Minister, once that is done, when will the freezers be sent to Paulatuk? Will it be over the summer or will it be this winter? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Bell.

Mr. Speaker, I will have to check on that. It is my understanding that, in the past, we have used the barge schedule. We have needed some lead time to make sure that we could get the freezers ordered, on the barge and delivered to the community. I think the next opportunity is next summer to do that, but certainly let me see what is available in the region, Mr. Speaker, and I will get back to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you. The weather is kind of getting cool right now, so right now I think they are pretty safe, but I would like to make sure that these people in Paulatuk not lose that subsistence they got like this past fall and summer. So I would like to try to get the freezers down here either by airplane or can that happen, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Bell.

Mr. Speaker, let me say I agree with the Member that the urgency obviously with the weather turning colder is not as great as it was in the summer. We do believe that this is the model that makes sense, having people have their own chest freezers. The issue in Paulatuk where we have a large community freezer had the refrigeration unit go out on the equipment, much of the community subsistence harvest was lost is something that we don't think makes sense anymore. We want to make sure that we hedge our bets and that everybody has a freezer, everybody who needs one. So we will work with the community in that regard, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member's statement today, I spoke about the need to have a territorial celebration of the arts. What I was getting at is the Northwest Territories needs to take the lead on initiatives to help embrace and help promote our arts community. So, Mr. Speaker, my question to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment is, would he look into establishing an NWT arts achievement award night? It could either be an annual or semi-annual event. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Arts Strategy did talk about a need for us to consider an awards program for the arts. I think that it would make good sense for us to consider something like an awards evening or an event to draw some attention to those awards programs. This was reinforced when, in September, ITI and ECE had a consultation group take another look at the Arts Strategy and give us recommendations. They reiterated that we needed to take a look at doing something like that. I will certainly talk to my colleague with ITI to see whether or not we can move forward with such a program.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That was a very welcoming answer from the Minister. I appreciate his collaboration and the necessity to talk to the Minister of ITI. Mr. Speaker, my next question to the Minister is, could he sort of outline some time frame that he could look at getting back to committee with this initiative? Could he look at doing this maybe before the next session that begins in February? Could he get back to us on that detail? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are waiting for the final report from the group that we brought together in September. Sometime after we get that final report, I will sit down with my colleague. I expect that will be before the next session. I expect that, between ITI and ECE, we will be able to have some answers before the February session.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I spoke to the concern from Inuvik residents about the increase in the natural gas price. One of the statements I made was the Public Utilities Board and said there was lack of evidence over concerns and had the members been living in the Northwest Territories, then I am sure they would have heard the concerns. But that is another issue for another day. I would like to ask the Minister of the Public Utilities Board, how is it that the supplier of natural gas can raise their rates without a public hearing where citizens can hear their justifications or voice their concerns? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I did hear the Member's comments during Members' statements yesterday. I did take the opportunity to check the act. There are requirements that the Public Utilities Board has to follow. It is the responsibility of the Public Utilities Board to provide information to the general public. However, the utility company that also is requesting an increase has responsibilities, that is to inform the municipality, and those things have been done in this case. There have been issues raised by some of the Members regarding increase request and also the municipality of Inuvik has raised the issue. A number of residents have also raised the issue. There has been an information request provided to the utility company to supply back-up information. That may very well lead to a hearing. At this time, it is not determined if that is required. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Robert McLeod.